National League for Nursing (NLN PAX) Practice Exam

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What is the role of enzymes in biochemical reactions?

  1. Colloids

  2. Catalysts

  3. Cathodes

  4. Constants

The correct answer is: Catalysts

Enzymes play a critical role in biochemical reactions primarily by acting as catalysts. This means they accelerate the rate of reactions without being consumed in the process. Enzymes achieve this by lowering the activation energy required for a reaction to occur, allowing it to proceed more efficiently. As a result, they enable complex biochemical pathways that are essential for life to occur at the rates necessary for living organisms to function effectively. In addition to catalyzing reactions, enzymes are highly specific; each type of enzyme usually catalyzes only one particular reaction or type of substrate, ensuring that metabolic processes are tightly regulated. This specificity and efficiency are why enzymes are fundamental to various biological processes, including digestion, metabolism, and DNA replication.